German Citizen Sentenced to Death in Belarus

A German citizen has been sentenced to death in Belarus, according to the German Foreign Ministry, shortly after a statement from a Belarusian human rights organization reported that a German military doctor had been sentenced to death by shooting, The Guardian writes.

The German ministry did not disclose the name of its citizen, but the Viasna Human Rights Center reported that 30-year-old Rico Krieger was sentenced under six articles of the Belarusian criminal code, with the trial taking place at the end of June. The report indicated that he has been in custody since November. Specific charges against Krieger are still unknown.

The German Foreign Ministry stated, “The Foreign Office and the embassy in Minsk are providing him with consular assistance and are working intensively with Belarusian authorities on Krieger's behalf.”